


High Priority Target

by bellygunnr



Series: Peace and Love [3]
Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X
Genre: Explosives, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Politics, Scheming, Substance Abuse, Trains, X just wants peace
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-03-09 18:17:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18922468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellygunnr/pseuds/bellygunnr
Summary: X has withdrawn from the front lines to focus on community work, play the game, and try to reunite humans and Reploids again. But it's never that simple.





	High Priority Target

"Why the train, X?"

The carpeted floor vibrates underneath their boots as the archaic train races across the track, running as fast as its old engines will allow it. X knows that time is not of the essence, that they could take their time, but the engine crew had insisted. "It's been seventy years since she's been at speed, X," the chief had said, "so forgive us if we have a little fun."

X smiles at the recollection. Of course.

"I like the sounds, Zero. This train is older than us, you know, and that's a very rare thing," he says gently. He fidgets with something in his hand-- a box of cigarettes, new and unused. A temptation.

Zero shakes his head. "I guess so..."

"Here, keep these, will you?" X offers the box, extending it out to Zero.

"Didn't you just buy these, X?"

"Well, yes..."

Zero sighs but accepts the box, tucking them into a hidden compartment. Leave it to X to be a whirlwind of decisions not even he could discern. The train, the cigarettes, all of the rallies and the meetings and the yelling... He'd attend, but he rarely understood what was going on. The bulk of what he understood was that the humans hated X, and X disliked the humans.

It was a terrible arrangement. Better solved with his saber.

 _That's why X was the Commander and not me,_ Zero muses. _He has a way with words. But..._

X had met nothing but backlash for his decision. Zero had witnessed Hunters of all ages and echelons turn on X, sneering and berating him-- or worse, pitying him, "it was bound to happen to X someday."

He looks over across their booth, tucked away in the train car. X is taking a long, long drink of a flask that matches the color of his armor. He notes the pocket it came out of.

"Need me to take that too, X?" Zero says, almost lightly. His lips twist but the smile- playful as it is- doesn't meet his eyes.

"We'll see," is the only thing his partner says. The flask slides back into place with a thunk.

They ride on in silence, even as they feel the train slow dramatically over time, finally exhausted by her sprint. X focuses on the rhythmic rattle of wheels against tracks and the distant cough of the engines. His eyes close as Zero takes his hand, intertwining their fingers and locking together.

+

The lurch of the train as it began to lose speed finally woke X, not even an hour later. His servos hiss in discomfort-- the seats are uncomfortable, and his joints need servicing, so it's no wonder he's aching. The vibrations under his boots are less noticeable.

"Why do you think we're slowing?" X mumbles.

"Probably want to reserve fuel, the fools," Zero says grumpily. He squeezes X's hand once more before disentangling their fingers, taking the chance to stretch.

The train whistle screams once, then twice.

"Oh, we're pulling into a station!" X chirps, launching to his feet. "We'll have some time to look around!"

The light inside the train darkens as they roll into the outskirts of the city limits, the train encased by a concrete tunnel. On either side of them humans can be seen milling about, surely there to spectate the ancient machine, though Zero sees disturbing shades of blue and red among them.

"It's those.... folk," Zero mutters. "You know."

X sighs. "I don't like them either."

They gather up their things, unnerved, and trot toward the exit once the train car is filled with a metallic clang-- the signal for disembarking. Both of them are careful not to make eye contact, staring pointedly ahead, the station's venues and booths blocked to them for all the cultists. X's hands itch and feel cold but he knows that to reach for Zero is to send these fanatics into a frenzy, so he keeps still.

"Let's take the elevator," Zero murmurs. He takes X by the shoulder and squeezes. A spark of relief lights in both.

  
Out of the station, the weather is decent and the streets are bustling and X and Zero grab each other's hands to steady themselves. The flask sits heavy in X's pocket.

"I really wanted to look around in there. How did they know we had taken that old train?" X sighs.

Zero shakes his head. "God knows. Didn't we try to keep this secret?"

"Yes, of course."

They walk on in silence, bemused, until the scent of street food draws X, making him peep excitedly. He doesn't even have to ask before Zero is already sighing resignedly and following him along.

"We don't need to eat," he reminds X.

"I think we deserve it. I've never been here before, Zee!" X cheeps, voice pitching robotically in his excitement. "Besides, some cities have entire streets dedicated to Reploid cuisine."

+

X is considerably happier-- and fuller-- after his food raid. Even Zero feels lighter as he licks the last of the food from his fingers, grinning wolfishly when he catches X looking. Had he been putting on a show? Maybe. Yet they both became subdued when faced with the stairs leading back into their station where the ancient train waited, eerie and quiet.

"You don't think they're still down here, do you?"

"They might be. Let's just... go," Zero grunts. He slips his hand into X's and they begin padding gingerly, mindful of the noisy hulk that is their armor.

For the most part, the station is now empty, occupied by a few innocent passerby skirting around the leftover contingent of cultist. An engineer waves out at them from a train window, grinning with some note of pride. "You're going to be late, you two!"

"We'll be right on!" X calls out.

Zero squeezes his hand tightly as he spots a cultist clad in blue approach them-- a young woman, her hair held in black curls.

"There's an intruder on your train," she says. "Several."

"What... do you mean by that?" Zero growls. "We don't have time for games, girl."

X rests a palm over Zero's gauntlet. "What did they look like?"

"They will look like friends."

With that, the girl turns away, and X can't help but feel that there's truth in her words.

Zero growls something rude and derisive at her back.

+

Again, the flask and pack of smokes stare X in the face, his resolve harried by the girl's ominous message. Not even the residual excitement of their food binge could relieve him of his anxieties. Intruders that looked like friends?

"How did anyone find out about this?" X sighs.

"I don't know, X."

Zero reaches over and takes the flask and smokes, sliding them into one of his own compartments. He ignores the look his partner shoots at him, unsure of what emotions he would see there (but he knows there's only gratitude).

"I'm going to go patrol the train, okay? Just... sit tight. I'll be on Comms," Zero says finally. He kisses X's forehead before retreating.

X stares after him, lost.

The train groans and heaves as they race out into the dwindling countryside.

+

The train is largely empty and unassuming as Zero sweeps through it, fingering the golden hilt of his Z-saber as he does. He pauses when he sees a member of the crew, reaching out to grasp their shoulder.

"I need to ask you a question," Zero growls.

The human balks briefly. "Uh, fire away, sir."

"Did anyone come onto the train while we were gone? Did you see anybody at all?"

He growls as the human stammers, then shakes his head. "We didn't see anybody enter. Wouldn't have let anyone enter without your permission, sir," he huffs.

"...Alright, thank you," Zero mutters. And moves on.

 _That was_ , he thinks, _the most pointless thing I've ever done. I've gone slow since..._

_Best not to think of it now._

+

In the compartment, without Zero, the train is no longer comforting but unbearably loud. He fidgets with his fingers and grasps for a flask that isn't there. His eyes dart and his head pounds and the train is picking up speed-- damn the crew, they needn't show off, or perhaps he is spiraling into a panic attack--

Sunlight filters into the train car from above, like a giant skylight had just opened up. He looks up.

Someone looks down at him.

He knows them. He knows they know him too.

Bamboo Pandamonium.

"Been a long, long time, X," the face rumbles.

"It has," and X is tentative because he is sober and his voice is soft.

"Sorry about this, X," Bamboo says with a grin. Then he shoves his three-clawed gauntlet through the hole and drops something heavy onto the floor. The device clips onto the ground and lights up.

X recognizes it immediately.

"See the thought is..."

It's a bomb. Complete with a Maverick Hunter seal.

"If you're dead, you can't come back and mess us up."


End file.
